Japan has expressed its displeasure at a resolution before the US Congress calling on Tokyo to apologise for the country’s use of sex slaves in wartime.

Foreign Minister Taro Aso said the resolution was not based on facts.

Sponsored by several members of the US House of Representatives, the proposed text urges Tokyo to formally resolve the issue of so-called “comfort women”.

Japan admits its army forced women to be sex slaves during World War II but has rejected compensation claims.

Historians believe at least 200,000 young women captured during World War II were forced to serve in Japanese army brothels.

A large number of the victims – who were known as comfort women – were Korean, but they also included Chinese, Philippine and Indonesian women…

Minister Aso insists the resolution was not based on facts. But exactly what kind of “facts” must be presented to the Japanese government for it to acknowledge the need to issue a formal apology? Historians have collected photographs, official wartime documents and testimonies from both comfort women throughout Asia and former Japanese soldiers, which all support the accusations made by these comfort women. Interestingly, thousands of miles away in Europe, similar evidence with regard to Nazi Germany’s treatment of Jews were more than sufficient in convincing the world that the Holocaust took place and thus prompted Germany to issue a formal apology to the Jews. Evidently, what Japan is most concerned of is its pride, both as a nation and the pride of its people. However, given the ongoing tension between Japan and its neighboring countries, it should by now recognize that it must follow Germany’s example in order to become truly accepted by the global community.